“Cyberspace needs rules and cooperation, not wars. China is willing to have constructive dialogue and cooperation with the global community, including the United States,” Hua said Tuesday.

White House National Security Adviser Thomas Donilon had called on Beijing to take “serious steps” against the growing threat of Chinese cyber-crimes.

A US report linked cyber-intrusions on US businesses and media outlets to hackers based in China and identified a specific unit of the secretive Chinese military in Shanghai, which Beijing profusely denied, saying it was itself a victim of cyber spying by the US government.

“The international community cannot afford to tolerate such activity from any country,” Donilon said in a speech.